Many couples face the problem of infertility. Moreover, it can be both female and male. After a series of unsuccessful attempts to solve this problem, some come to the need for such a high-tech method of overcoming infertility as in vitro fertilization.
The concept of "in vitro fertilization"
IVF, or in vitro fertilization, is a fairly new high-tech method for overcoming complex forms of both female and male infertility, which consists in in vitro fertilization of the egg (in vitro) and subsequent cultivation (cultivation) and transplantation (transfer) of the embryo into the uterine cavity.
The first successful IVF attempt was made in 1978 in England. Now this method is widespread, despite its complexity and high cost, so the question of how much IVF costs is worried by many childless couples, especially since the effectiveness of this method is about 30-35%, so more than one procedure may be needed to achieve the desired result.
Indications for IVF
In vitro fertilization is one of the treatments for the most complex and incurable forms of infertility. It is used when other methods of overcoming such a pathology are ineffective.
As an absolute indication for IVF , tubal infertility is considered when patency in the fallopian tubes is impaired and there is no opportunity to restore it. That is, when there is an adhesion process associated with inflammatory diseases of the pelvic organs, or one or both fallopian tubes are missing, it makes sense to think about where to do IVF.
Another indication is immunological infertility, associated with the development of a woman's antibodies that destroy the sperm of a particular sexual partner, so if you want to have a joint child, you have to resort to IVF.
A reason to find out how much IVF costs can also be male infertility when producing insufficient sperm or a small number of suitable sperm in it. In any case, in vitro fertilization is the final stage of all diagnostic and therapeutic procedures that did not bring the proper result.
Severe hereditary diseases such as cystic fibrosis or hemophilia are non-infertility reasons for using IVF. In this case, donor genetic material can be used to protect offspring from these pathologies.
Contraindications
Despite the opinion that IVF can be used in any cases when there is a healthy uterus, there are a number of contraindications for this procedure. These include the presence of serious somatic and mental diseases, which are a contraindication for planning the birth of a child, congenital malformations or acquired deformations of the uterine cavity, which impede the onset and gestation of pregnancy. It is unacceptable to carry out IVF for ovarian tumors or benign neoplasms of the uterus requiring surgical treatment, as well as for malignant tumors of any localization, even if they have been removed. In vitro fertilization will also be delayed in the development of any acute inflammatory diseases. Therefore, it is too early to find out how much IVF costs if there is any problem in the body, in addition to the diagnosed infertility.
Preparation for artificial insemination
The process of in vitro fertilization is complex and time-consuming and requires the efforts of many specialists and the patient himself. This method includes many stages, which differ depending on the specific pathology, therefore, its implementation, from the examination of patients to the moment of the onset or non-pregnancy, takes from one and a half to two months. Therefore, in addition to finding out information about how much IVF costs, it will take a lot of patience and faith in achieving a positive result.
Before conducting IVF, the patient expects a series of tests and diagnostic procedures, such as ultrasound, a blood test for hormones, the presence of AIDS, hepatitis and syphilis, men are given a spermogram. Such an examination awaits couples who have already been diagnosed with infertility, and attempted treatment or in vitro fertilization. Additionally, an examination for genetic diseases can be prescribed. If the family applied for the first time, then there may be a need for the preliminary implementation of any medical procedures or operations, for example, adjusting the hormonal background, dissecting adhesions, treating infections of the genitourinary sphere and so on, which will significantly extend the preparation for IVF.
Stages of in vitro fertilization
After the examination, the IVF process begins, consisting of several stages, the first of which will be the ovulation stimulation procedure. This is achieved by the appointment of hormonal drugs that cause the maturation of several follicles at once, which at times increases the chances of removing and fertilizing a suitable egg. And the presence of several healthy embryos increases the likelihood of pregnancy, since when replanting even a few embryos, pregnancy may not occur. Hormonal drugs are administered for two weeks, carefully monitoring the patient's condition, since depending on the drugs used, some complications can arise, from the development of allergic reactions to ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, which is manifested by bloating and abdominal pain.
After diagnosing the readiness of the body, women move on to the next stage - puncture of the follicles for egg collection. This process, while still a small operation, is carried out in an outpatient setting for one day. This manipulation occurs with the use of anesthesia (short-term intravenous anesthesia is most often used) under ultrasound hardware control.
The confluence of the egg and sperm and the cultivation of the embryo is carried out by embryologists in a special laboratory that requires high-tech equipment. After culturing the embryos for 2-4 days, they are transferred to the uterus, which is the simplest and safest procedure of the entire IVF complex. After it, you need to observe a gentle regime, try to avoid physical and emotional stress, even issuing a sick leave is possible. Unused embryos are frozen using a special technology, and can be subsequently inserted into the uterus if the first attempt was unsuccessful. Before the process of replanting embryos into the uterus, they are checked for various gross malformations and chromosomal diseases and the most suitable for implantation are selected.
After embryo replanting, the patient receives drugs that will help maintain pregnancy and prevent embryo rejection. Such therapy is carried out until the pregnancy is confirmed or until the next menstruation, if the attempt was unsuccessful.
In Vitro Fertilization Cost
Now in Russia there are more than a hundred clinics and reproduction centers that can carry out a similar procedure. In almost every regional center you can find an institution that deals with the treatment of infertility by IVF. Therefore, you can, after finding out how much IVF costs in Moscow, look for a more economical option in the province. The cost of in vitro fertilization consists of many points and depends on the procedures performed and the price of the drugs used. On average, the IVF procedure will require the presence of 120-190 thousand rubles. If donor genetic material is to be used, then the price will increase.
Free IVF
Since 2006, a program for free in vitro fertilization began to operate, as it was included in the list of high-tech medical care funded from the federal budget. Any citizen of the Russian Federation who has the appropriate medical indications can apply for such help. True, at the regional level, local authorities can impose restrictions on age or forms of infertility, in which it will be possible to use the free IVF procedure. For example, in the territory of Moscow and the region, the age of 38 is established, up to which you can turn to the IVF budget program and use it no more than twice. Also, there is no provision for free IVF using donor materials, in this case co-financing is possible: the state will pay for the operation itself, and the donor material is acquired by the patient.
To get a quota for free IVF, the applicant will have to go a difficult way. These are various examinations to determine the causes of infertility and the preparation of a large package of documents that falls under the consideration of a special commission for the allocation of budget places in clinics that are part of the free IVF system.
IVF quota
Today, couples who dream of having a baby, but are unable to do so for medical reasons, have the opportunity to carry out the procedure of costly artificial insemination at the expense of the federal budget under the compulsory medical insurance policy. Each year, a certain number of quotas is allocated that are distributed among all regions. The number of these quotas does not cover the need of patients for high-tech assistance to eliminate infertility, so the eco-quota remains the cherished dream of many couples.
Some regions of the Russian Federation additionally introduce free places for in vitro fertilization, financed from the local budget. Therefore, the criteria governing the inclusion of patients in this program can vary widely among regions, and may differ from federal requirements.
IVF in Moscow
In Moscow today, more than 50 clinics offer IVF. Therefore, it is difficult to choose the right one. In this case, you can focus on the cost of the procedure or follow the recommendations of the attending physician or friends and acquaintances, since neither the high qualification of the staff, nor the availability of high-quality equipment guarantee a long-awaited pregnancy, although they increase the chances of it.
It is difficult to specifically answer the question of how much IVF costs in Moscow, since the price consists of many points depending on the form of infertility. For example, fertilization using donated sperm or eggs requires a large investment. The use of such a high-tech procedure as INSI, which consists in artificial insemination with a single sperm, which may be necessary with very poor sperm quality, will also increase the cost.
The cost of drugs is not included in the price list of programs, they will have to be spent separately on average 40-60 thousand rubles. In general, IVF will require 150โ190 thousand rubles per cycle of procedures. Repeated treatments are usually discounted.
IVF in St. Petersburg
A lot of medical institutions offer their services for conducting commercial in vitro fertilization. The cost of IVF in St. Petersburg can vary greatly. Each clinic offers its own software packages to select a set of studies and procedures for each particular pair.
For example, the Euromed In Vitro clinic offers an IVF for 52 thousand rubles (this is the price without the cost of tests, specialist advice and the purchase of necessary medications). As a result, an amount of 110โ120 thousand rubles will come running for in vitro fertilization. Clinics may also offer a system of discounts or installments, but the procedure still remains unavailable to many women who are not able to get pregnant in the usual way.
Thus, we can say that the IVF procedure is a fairly effective method in overcoming severe forms of infertility, which, despite the high cost, gives hope to many offspring to acquire offspring.